Charlotte.com

Humpy, author, storyteller and promoter, will talk about his new book tonight

Ever heard Humpy Wheeler speak? The former president of Charlotte Motor Speedway is brilliant, creative and funny. He'll start a story and you'll have no idea where it's going. And then he finishes and the story goes right to your heart.

Humpy just wrote a book, "Growing up NASCAR," and will talk about it from 5-8 p.m. tonight at Dandelion Market, 118 W. Fifth St., in Charlotte. (That's near the corner of Fifth and Church Streets.)

He'll discuss his work, and his sport, tell you about characters and tracks and drivers and crewmen. He'll take you inside. Even if you're a long-time NASCAR fan, even if you know the sport, Humpy will take you places you haven't been. And make you think and make you laugh along the way.

Comments

Tom, He did a great interview on the Saturday afternoon NPR talk show "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" a few years ago. It was hilarious. It is probably archived somewhere. Wish I could have heard him tonight - I am sure it was fun. Robbie B.

Humpy Wheeler is the John Ringling North of Motorsports. He took the World 600 and elevated to a point where it was on a par with the Daytona 500 and in my opinion, out promoted Daytona at every level. He is a visionary, and told me almost 40 years ago while standing in the CMS infield that one day Stock cars would be very much as they are today(he told me they would be like funny cars in drag racing). Being a bit of a purist, I hoped he was wrong, I liked the stock bodies as opposed to the cookie cutter cars they run now, but he WAS right. His tenure at CMS is the stuff legends are made of and you can say he didn't do all that by himself, but he was the GM, and as is always the case, the bock stopped at his desk. Besides, whom do you think put that staff together at CMS? Bruton Smith is no slouch either but in my opinion, he would have never taken CMS as far as he did, without the able assistance of the man with the funny first name. Personally, I can't wait to read his book.